Octave key



May 18 ,1926.

A. LOOMIS OCTAVE KEY Original Filed Feb. 9, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A.LOOMIS OCTAVE KEY May 18 .1926.

Original Filed Feb. 9. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED STATES" 1,585,295 PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN menus, or TOLEDO, omo.

o'oravn KEY.

Application flled'lebruary 9, 1923, Serial No. 617,952. Renewed larch19, 1928.

This invention is concerned with an octave key for musical instrumentsof the wood wind type and has been designed with special reference tothe saxophone. Hence, in describing the particular embodiment of theinvention illustrated in this specification, I will generally, whenoccasion arises to speak of the instrument by name, identify it as asaxophone. However, this mode of description is not intended toindicate, or be construed as, a limitation of the principles of theinvention exclusively to any specific 1nstrument; but, on the contrary,so far as my claim to protection is concerned, I claim and desire toprotect all novel characteristics and principles of thisinvention incombination with its application to any musical instru ment of the woodwind type with which it is capable of being used, whether in the preciseform here shown and described or with modifications in form andarrangement. Within the meaning of the term wood wind type as used inthe foregoing definition I include all musical instruments of which thecharacteristic is a tubular body which contains a vibrating column ofair and which has lateral holes adapted. to be opened and closed fordetermining the length of the vibrating air column and hence the pitchof the emitted note, whether actually made of wood or of metal or othermaterial.

My present object has been to furnish an octave, key mechanism whichwill combine the following qualities and characteristics 1. The minimumnumber of springs consistent with operation in the desired manner, andthe elimination of certain springs which have been necessary in priordesigns and are there frequently a cause of trouble and annoyance.

2. Certainty of action, and limitation of the employment of theoperating keys to fixed paths of short extent; and particularlyavoidance of liability of the key jumping when transition is made, inthe course of playing, from certain notes in one register to certainnotes in another register of the same instrument.

3. Ability of both octave hole stoppers to move directly toward and awayfrom the holes which they respectively cover, without rubbing orsculfing across the rim of the hole at any timev or under anyconditions.

4. Generally an etficient mechanical design, conforming to goodprinciples of engineer ng and one which 1s capable of being produced inquantities with accuracy and uniformlty between corresponding parts ofduplicate lots.

In the drawings which accompany and form part of this specificationFigure 1 is a perspective view showing the upper part of the body tubeand the attached mouth tube of a saxophone having my improved octave keyapplied thereto.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic or develop ment yiew showing the octave keymechanism and supporting parts resolved into a single plane.

Figures 3 and 4 are cross sections taken approximately on lines 3-3 and44, respectively, of Figure 1.

In'these drawings the tone holes, tonehole stoppers, and operating keyswhich are actually on the part of the instrument here represented, areomitted, with one exception at the top of Figure 3, and only those partsare shown which comprise, or are essential. to

the operation of, the octave key mechanism. Like reference charactersdesignate the same parts whereverthey occur in all the The numeral 5designates the body tube of a saxophoneand 6 designates the curved mouthtube which is detachably applied to the upper end of the saxophone in amanner common to all instruments of this class. The mouthpiece or reed(not here shown) is adapted to .be applied to the end -7 of the mouthtube. The upper octave hole 8 is formed in the mouth tube and is coveredby a pad or stopper9 which is carried by a curved lever or key 10supported by a pivot 11. The lever 10 carries a spring 12, one end ofwhich. is secured to the lever and the other end of which pressesagainst the tube with tendency to hold the stopper or pad 9 against therim of the hole 8. The lever 10 extends to a point near the upper end ofthe body tube and carries a ring 13 which surrounds the adjacent part ofthe mouth tube and is adapted to be entered by the arm 14 of a leverpresently described. Said ring 13 is an abutment for the key 10 by andthrough which forces and reactions are transmitted between said key andthe lever arm 14. The spring 12 impels this controlling abutment towardthe reacting surface of arm 14, as well as moving the stopper l towardthe octave hole 8.

The lower octave hole is formed in the body tube) and is covered by apad or stopper 15 carried by an angular or bent arm 16 which projectsfrom and is secured to a sleeve 17 confined between posts 18 and 19 andhaving a rotative bearin on a rod 20. Arms and equivalent structures forlike purposes to the arm. 16 (and likewise the lever 10) are usuallycalled keys or octave keys in the art, and may therefore be so called inthis specification. Said rod 20 extends through a considerableproportion of the length of the body tube, being supported by illars, asclearly shown in the drawings, and serves .as a pivot support for man ofthe key mechanisms. It provides a 'xed axis for the stopper near theplane of the rim of the octave hole, enabling'the stopper to open andclose without, in'any clrcumstances, sliding or scufiing across suchrim. Preferably the distance of said axis from the plane just identifiedis not more than half the distanceof the axis from the nearer ed e ofthe rim.

other rod 21 having a similar oflice and arrangement to the rod issupported by posts 22, 23 and others, and serves as the pivot aboutwhich a sleeve 24 turns. Se-

cured to this sleeve are two arms 25 and 26,

a finger ke 27, and a hook or spring abutment 28. gaid arms carry a tubeor sleeve 29 which serves as the sup ort or bearin for a rod 30 (showndotted in Figure 2 an .in section in Figure 3).

A bar 31 lies beside the sleeve 29 and its upper end is offset so as tofurnish a crosspiece 32 and the arm 14 previously mentioned. Thecross-piece 32 lies across the end of sleeve 29 and receives one end ofthe pivot rod 30. The lower end 33 of thebar 31 is bent to the oppositeside away from the sleeve 29 and is formed with a notch 34 (Figure 4),being thus a notched or forked arm. A lug 35 is also provided on thispart of the bar and extends oppositely to the arm 33 and across thelower end of sleeve 29, re-

ceiving the adjacent end of the pivot rod 30. Thus the bar 31 forms alever having two arms, namely, 14 and 33, which extend to oppositesides, respectively, of the pivot rod 30. Moreover, since the pivot rodis movable about the axis of the sleeve 24, so

. The sleeves 24, 29, arms 25, 26, and

that the whole lever is movable bodily, or, in other words, is mountedin a floating manner, I call the lever a floating lever. ivot 4' rod 30form the carrier of the floating ever.

A spring 36 projects from the post or pillar 23 and bears against thehook or abutment 28, tending constantly to swing the sleeve 29 towardthe body of the instrument; in other words, to depress the pivot of thefloating lever, and at the same time raise the key 27.

The bent arm 16 of the octave hole stopper 15 carries a pin 37 on whichis a block 38 which fits slidingly inthe notch 34 of arm 33. Thus asliding and pivotal connection is provided between the floating leverand the lower octave hole key which is capable of transmitting force ineither direction, and the slotted arm 33 of the floating lever is one ofthe parts or elements of such connection. The provision of suchconnection enables the lower octave key to be made springless; that is,without any immediate and constantly acting spring tending to hold iteither in its depressed or its raised position. ()n the opposite side ofthe same arm is a lug or ledge 39 (constructed preferably as a rectanglebrazed along two edges to the arm 16 in the angle thereof) arrangedunder the projecting end of an arm 40 which is pivoted on the pivot rod20. Arm 40 has an extension 41 at the opposite side of the pivot rod,and this extension is connected, by means of a bridge rod 42, with anarm 43, secured to a sleeve 44 and pivoted upon rod 20. Arm 43 carries afinger key 45 and is also connected to mechanism for operating a tonehole stopper or cover, although the latter mechanism and stopper are notshown in these drawings.

In the saxophone for which the herein illustrated mechanism is designed,the hole stopper controlled by the key 45 is normally opened by itsspring, and the spring acting for that purpose also tends to raisefinger key 45 and to depress arm 40., and the octave hole stopper 15. Inaddition, and supplementing that tendency, I have provided a needlespring 46 which is anchored in a pillar 47 andsbears on a springabutment hook 48 projecting from sleeve 44. For the purposes of theOCtSNB key mechanism alone, the spring 46 is the only spring necessaryto raise key 45 and depress key stopper 15, but it may be considered astypifying any spring applied for that purpose, whether it is arranged asshown or is an otherwise arranged spring acting to open the tone holecover controlled by. the key 45.

It will now be seen that the tendency of the sprin s 12, 36 and 46, andtheir eflecl' when neit er key 27 or 45 is pressed upon, is to closeboth octave hole stoppers 9 and 15 Now, if the key 27 is pressed upon,the pivot 30 of the floating lever 14, 31, 33 is raised. Thus the effecton the floating lever of the spring 46, acting through the short arm 40and the longer arm 33, 35 of the floating lever, is greater than theeffect of the spring 12 acting through a much longer arm of lever 10 anda shorter arm of the floating lever. Hence, when the pivot of the floatmg lever is raised by depressing keys 27 as just described, the pin 37remains in the same position and the whole floating lever is swung aboutthis pin as a fulcrum, raising its arm 14, and so raising the stopper ofthe upper octave hole. If, while pressure is maintained on key 27, thekey 45 is pressed upon, then the force exerted by spring 46 is overcomeand the restraint previously exerted on the stopper arm 16 and pin 37 isremoved and the spring 12 is unopposed. The latter spring, therefore, ispermitted to close the upper octave hole stopper 9, and open the loweroctave hole stopper 15, transmitting motion thereto through the floatinglever, which then turns freely about its own pivot 30. Then, if the key27 is released while pressure is maintained on key 45,, the stopper 15is closed without causing stopper 9 to be opened, through the movementof the floating lever bodily toward the instrument bod If finger key 45alone is depressed, both octave hole stoppers remain closed, the stopper9 being so held by its spr1ng 12, and the stopper 15 by the combinedaction of the spring 36 and the reaction of the instrument body on thefloating lever and its carrier. The upward force of reaction of the bodyon the floating lever arm 14, and the downward force of the carrier onthe floating lever pivot 30, due to the spring 36, produce the downwardforce on pin 37 which is necessary and suflicient to hold the loweroctave key in closed position. However, if finger key 27 is depressedduring the operation of finger key 45, the lower octave hole is opened,while the upper octave hole remains closed, for at this time the ring 13holds the floating lever arm 14 down, due

Cil

to the force of spring 12, and said ring then serves as an abutment forthe floating lever while the pivot of the latter is moved away from thebody.

The particular saxophone here illustrated is the C melody instrument,and the key 45 controls the A natural tone hole, bein depressed when allnotes below A are p ayed and released when A or any note above it isplayed. In passing from the lower register into the lower part of themiddle register, the stopper 15 must be opened and the stopper 9 must beclosed. This transition occurs at a pitch below A, and the opening ofthe stopper 15 is effected by pressing key 27while key 45 is held down.When A. or any higher note is played in the second register the stopper15 must be closed and the stopper 9 opened; that is, a reversal of thecondition just above described must take place. The mechanismautomatically accomplishes this reversal of the stoppers because theperformer, when playing A or any higher note, releases the key 45, and

. the spring-actuated rise of this key, with descent of arm 40, thencloses stopper 15, and, by turning the floating lever about its ownpivot 30 as a fulcrum, opens the stopper 9.

When it becomes necessary to close the tone hole stopper controlled by'the key 45, and at the same time to'open the octave on saxophonesbecause, in the circumstances--"' just described, the opening of thelower octave hole in making this transition always .causes the upperoctave hole stopper to jump. -The prevention of jumping is one of theobjects and accomplishments of the invention.

For the rest it will be seen that a minimum of three springs issufficient for all the required movements and actions of the octave keymechanism; and when the finger key 45 is already adequately controlledby the spring of a tone hole mechanism, only two additional springs arerequired for complete control of the octave key mechanism. The loweroctave key, being itself springless, is subject to being closed byeither the spring which controls the finger key 45 or by forceoriginating from the spring which controls the finger key 27; while itopposes no resistance to being 0 enged by the forces applied from thefinger key 27 and the comparatively weak closing spring of the upperoctave hole key. For the rest, the mechanism is simple, and one whichcan be accurately made and readily assembled.

In this specification the terms depress, down and similar terms, havethe meaning of movement or direction toward, or position near, the bodyof the instrument; while the terms raise, upward, and terms of similarimport have the contrary meanng. That is, a stopper or key or other partis considered to be depressed when it is moved toward or lies near theinstrument body, whatever may be the actual direction'in which it ismoved in reaching suchdposition, while it is considered to be raise whenmoved. or held away from the body; and the same meaning is understoodwith reference to the directions in which the force of the springs andthe performers digits act on the keys and stopper.

What I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination, in a musical instrument of the wood wind type havingtwo octave hole stoppers, of a floating lever carrier movably supportedfrom the'body of the instrument, a floating lever movably mounted onsaid carrier and having articulated connection with both stoppers, afinger key controlling a tone hole cover of the instrument andspring-impelled to its normal position, an arm connected to said fingerkey and bearing on one of the octave hole stoppers to hold the sameclosed when said key is in the normal position, but arranged to releasesaid octave hole stopper when the key is pressed upon, a second keyconnected with the pivot of said floating lover, a spring acting on saidsecond key for normally raising the same, and a spring acting on theother octave hole stopper with tendency to close it.

2. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, an octave keymechanism comprising two octave hole stoppers, each pivoted to turnabout a fixed axis and having their only motion about said axes, afloating lever carrier pivotally supported from the body of theinstrument to turn about an axis approximately parallel to the axis ofone of said stoppers, a floating lever pivoted to said carrier to turnabout an axis approximately parallel to the axis of the latter and beingarticulated to both said stoppers, and a tone hole key mechanism havmgmeans for exerting pressure on one of said stoppers tending to close it.

3. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, a body having twooctave holes, stoppers for said holes, both pivotally supported from theinstrument body and being movable only about their respective pivots,

the pivot of one of said stoppers being approximately parallel to theinstrument body, a floating lever articulated to both stoppers, afloating lever carrier pivotally mounted on the instrument body and towhich the floating lever is pivoted on a different axis, and yieldingmeans tending constantly to depress both stoppers and the pivot of saidfloating lever, and a finger key for relaxing the pressure of theyielding means on one of said stoppers.

4. An octave key mechanism for musical instruments of the wood Wind typehaving a body tube and a separate mouth tube and having octave holes onthe body and mouth tubes, respectively, an octave hole'stopper and acarrying lever therefor pivoted on the mouth tube, said lever extendinglongitudinally of the mouth tube and having a ring adapted to surroundthe body tube, a floating lever carrier pivotally mounted on the bodytube to swing about an axis ex-,,

tending longitudinally thereof, a floating lever pivoted to said carrieron a parallel axis, said floating lever having an arm offset from itspivot extending a ong the body tube and adapted to enter said ring, saidfloating lever also havin another arm extending cross wise of the ytube, a second stopper pivotally mountedon'the body tube to swing abouta longitudinal axis and in positionto cover the second octave hole, asliding and pivotal connection between said second stopper and thesecond arm of the floating lever, and a key engaged with said secondstopper.

5. In an octave key mechanism of the class described, a floating levercarrier having a pivot, and a floating lever consisting of a bar havingalined pivot bearings, engaged in said pivot; said floating lever bemgofl'set at opposite ends and in opposite directions from the line ofsaitl pivot bearings.

6. In an octave key mechanism of the class described, a floating leverconsisting of a bar having alined pivot bearings, and being offset atopposite ends and in opposite directions from the line of said pivotbearings, and a floating lever carrier having a pivot engaged with saidbearings, one end of said lever being formed as one part of a slidingand pivotal connection capable of transmitting force in both directions,and its other end being formed with a longitudinally extending arm.

7. In an octave key mechanism of the class described the combination,with two octave keys, of a floating lever carrier pivoted to the body ofthe instrun'ient, a floating lever pivoted to said carrier and having anarm formed with two surfaces engaged with one of said octave keys totransmit force to the latter in re pectively opposite directions, saidlever having a second arm arranged to react on the instrument body whenso exerting force in one direction, and the other octave key beingengaged with said second arm to receive force applied in one directionby the latter and having a spring arranged to cause force applicationthrough said last-named octave key in the opposite direction againstsaid arm.

8. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, an octave keymechanism comprising two octave hole stoppers, both pivoted directly tothe instrument body, a floating lever articulated to both stoppers, a 0pivotally mounted carrier to which said floating lever is pivoted on anaxis beside the axis of the carrier, springs acting on said floatinglever carrier and on one of the octave hole stoppers in directions tend-115 ing to hold both stoppers closed, and a spring-impelled tone holekey mechanism having means for exerting pressure in the closingdirection on the other of said octave hole stoppers, but adapted torelease said 1' pressure when pressed upon.

9. In a musical instrument of the woodwind type having upper and loweroctave holes, a stopper key for each of said octave holes, both saidkeys being pivoted to the 125 instrument body, a spring pressed fingerkey having a member arranged to bear on the lower octave hole stopperkey, a floating lever carrier pivoted to the instrument body and havinga finger key and a spring for 130 moving it, a floating lever pivotedtosaid carrier having an arm connected with the stopper key for the loweroctave hole and a contact surface, and a spring exerting force on saidupper octave hole key tending to move its stopper toward the upperoctave hole, said key having an abutment arranged to be impelled by thelast named spring at the same time toward said contact surface of thefloating lever.

10. In a saxophone the combination, with a body tube, of a detachablemouth tube pierced with an octave hole, amovable spring-actuated octavekey including a stopper for said hole and an extension serving as anoperating abutment, said body tube being piercedv with a second octavehole, a spring-actuated and pivotally mounted finger key adapted tooperate a tone hole stopper of the instrument, a sprin less octave eyfor said second octave ho e pivotally mounted on said body tube andarranged to close said second octave hole, operating connections throughwhich the said finger key is adapted to close said springless octave keywhen not depressed by the performers finger, a second spring-actuatedfinger key pivotally mounted on said body tube, a floating lever carrierconnected with said second finger key to be moved by movement of thelatter, and a floating lever pivotally mounted on sald bearing andhaving parts arranged to raise the first-named octave key and to raiseor depress the second-named octave key when the latter is free fromcontrol by the first-named finger key.

11. In a saxophone the combination, with a body tube, of a detachablemouth tube pierced with an octave hole, a movable springactuated octavekey including a stopper for said hole and an extension serving as anoperating abutment, said body tube being pierced with a second octavehole, a spring-actuated and pivotally mounted finger key adapted tooperate a tone hole stopper of theinstrument, a springless second octavekey pivotally mounted-on said body tube, arranged to close said secondoctave hole and being coaxial with said fin er key, operatingconnections through which the said finger key is adapted to close saidsecond octave key when not depressed by the erformers finger, a secondspring-actuated iger k? pivotally mounted on said body tube, a oatinglever bearing connected to and movable by said second finger key, and afloating lever pivotally mounted on said bearing and having partsarranged to raise the upper octave key and to raise or depress the loweroctave key when the latter is free from control by the first-namedfinger key.

12. In a saxophone the combination, with a bod tube, of a detachablemouth tube pierce with an octave hole, a movable springactuated octavekey including a stopper for said hole and an extension serving as anoperating connection, said body tube being pierced with a lower octavehole, a spring' actuated and pivotally mounted finger key adapted tooperate a tone hole stopper of the instrument, a springless lower octavekey pivotally mounted on said body tube and arranged to close said loweroctave hole, operating connections through which the said finger key isadapted to close said lower octave ke when not depressed by theperformers nger, a second spring-actuated finger key pivotally mountedon said body tube, a floating lever bearing approximately parallel tosaid body connected to and movable by said second finger key, and afloating lever pivotally mounted on said bearing and having partsarranged to raise the upper octave key and to raise or depress the loweroctave key when the latter is free from control by the first-namedfinger key.

13. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, a body having octaveholes, a springless stopper key for one of said holes, a spring closedstopper key for one of said holes, a finger operable key, a springacting on said last named key in opposition to the pressure appliedthereto by the performers fin er, means for applying the force of thesad spring to the springless octave key in the direction for closing thelatter when the finger key is free of finger pressure, a second fingerkey pivoted to the instrument, a floating lever fulcrum carried by saidsecond finger key at the opposite side of the pivot thereof from thefinger actuated part of this key, a spring acting on said second fingerkey with tendency to depress said fulcrum, a floating lever pivoted onsaid fulcrum and having two arms, one of which is connected to thespringless stopper key with ability to apply force thereto for bothclosing and opening it and the other arm is arranged to react on thebody and to rise from the body, and an abutment for said other armactuated by the spring of said spring closed stopper kei to applypressure on such arm toward the ody, and arranged to open the springclosed stopper key when saidarm is raised.

14. In a musical instrument. of the wood wind type, a body having twooctave holes, stoppers for said holes, both pivotally supported fromthe'instrument body and being movable only about their respectivepivots, the pivot of one of said stoppers being ap proximately parallelto the instrument body, a floating lever carrier having a fingerkeypivotally supported from'the 1n.- strument body on 'an axisapproximately parallel thereto, a floating lever pivoted to said carrieron a different axis, also approximately parallel to the body, motiontransmitting connections between said floating lever and both of-saidstoppers, separate springs tending to depress both stoppers and thepivot of the floating lever, and a key operable to relax the springpressure on one of said stoppers.

15. In an octave key mechanism of the class described, an octave keypivotally supported from the body of the instrument, a floating levercarrier pivotally supported from the body of the instrument, a floatinglever pivoted to said carrier on a difierent axis from that of thecarrier, said lever having an arm with a guideway, a block mounted toslide in said guideway and having pivotal connection with said stopper,the floating lever having a second arm adapted to react on theinstrument body, and a spring actuated second octave key in connectionwith the second named arm for transmission of pressure to and from thesame.

16. In an octave key mechanism of the class described, the combinationwith an octave hole stopper of a floating lever carrier pivoted to theinstrument body, a floating lever pivoted to said carrier on adifferent'axis from that of the carrier and having a slotted arm, and ablock mounted to slide in said slotted arm and having a pivotalconnection with the stopper key.

17. In a musical instrument of the Wood wind type, a key mechanismincluding a member pivotally supported from the body of the instrument,a second member pivotally mounted in a floating manner, a carrier onwhich said floating member is pivoted and beingin turn pivotallysupported from the instrument body, one of said members having a slot,and a block mounted to move slidingly in said slot and pivoted to theother of said members.

18. In an octave key mechanism of the class described, a floating lever,a carrier ivotally supported from the instrument 0d and to which saidfloating lever is pivote on an axis approximately parallel to the body,and a stopper key pivotally supported from the body, said stopper keyand one arm of the floating lever having sliding and pivotal connectioncapable of transmitting force in either direction of their permittedmovements.

19. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, the combination of akey and an operating lever, one of the before named members having anarm with an open notch and guiding surfaces bounding such notch, a blockslidingly engaged with said bounding surfaces and adapted to enter theopen end of the notch, and a pivot carried by the other of said membersand contained in said block.

20. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, a pivotally mountedstopper key having a pro ecting pivot, a slide block mounted on saidpivot with provision for rotary movement thereon, and an operating armfor said key having an open notch to receive said block and havingguiding and bounding surfaces on which said block is adapted to slidewhen the parts are in operative assembled relation.

' 21. In a musical instrument of the wood wind type, an octave key, ablock pivotally connected to said octave key, a floating lever having anarm with an open notch adapted to receive and engage said block, and afloating lever carrier pivoted to the instrument bod and to which thefloating lever is pivoted? 22. In a musical instrument of the wood windtype, an octave key, a block pivotally connected to said octave key, afloating lever having an arm with an open notch adapted to receive andengage said block, and a floating lever carrier pivoted to theinstrument body and to which the floating lever is pivoted, the pivotfor said floating lever extending longitudinally of the instrument, andthe floating lever having longitudinally extended and alined pivotbearings and having a'second arm oflset both longitudinally andlaterally from the before named slotted arm.

23. In a musical instrument of the character set forth having two octaveholes, separate keys for said octave holes pivotally supported'from thebody of the instrument, a floating lever carrier also pivotally sup--ported from said body, a floating lever pivoted to said carrier on adifierent axis from that of the carrier, said keys, carrier and floatinglever all being arranged to turn about axes substantially parallel tothe instrument body, a connection between one arm of said floating leverand one of the octave keys, the other arm of said floating le'ver beingarranged to bear on the instru ment body when the pivot of said floatinglever is depressed, a spring acting on said carrier tending to depresssaid ivot, the last named arm of the floating over then reacting on thebody and exerting closing pressure on the said octave key, and aconnection between the other key and the last named arm of the floatinglever for raising said key when said arm is raised.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my ALLEN LOOMIS,

' signature.

